The following contains spoilers for the Chainsaw Man manga.
The ongoing Chainsaw Man manga/anime experience keeps shifting the focus among the devil hunters and the terrifying devils whom they hunt. This means the question of who the strongest Chainsaw Man characters are tends to to shift around every few episodes or chapters, which keeps things fresh. It's true that powerhouses like Makima and the Four Horsemen are always out there and remain among the strongest devils, but they're not always prominently featured in the story arcs.
Both major sagas in Chainsaw Man make it clear who the top dogs are in each of their major story arcs, and the competition is always fierce. Short arcs like the Bat Devil Arc flatter Denji himself as the strongest character, but in the most substantial arcs, he's often outclassed. When Chainsaw Man fans review who the toughest fighters are in each big arc, it's amazing to think Denji survived these bloody adventures at all.
Katana Man Arc: Denji
Denji Went Plus Ultra to Shred His Nemesis
Only in the first few arcs of the Chainsaw Man chronology does Denji himself rank among the strongest characters of all. Of course, he ranks among the most tenacious and durable characters of all, and he's always strong enough to at least survive battles with the nastiest devils. That being said, it's rare for Denji to be the unquestioned top dog in a Chainsaw Man story arc, so he'd better enjoy it while it lasts.
Chainsaw Man: Where Is Kobeni in Part 2?
Plenty of Chainsaw Man fans are wondering what happened to Kobeni after the Public Safety Saga. Where is she?
Such is the case in the Katana Man Arc, which was the last time when Denji could handily defeat the arc's most powerful villain without suffering dreadful losses. Denji's nemesis, Katana Man, was a worthy foe who briefly had the upper hand in this clash of devil hybrids, but that superiority didn't last. With Aki's help and a power-up, Denji humiliated Katana Man and brutally punished him for threatening the glory of Chainsaw Man.
Reze Arc: Reze
The Bomb Devil's Explosions Nearly Blew Denji Apart
The incredible Reze Arc stunned anime fans in movie format as a brand-new threat arose to challenge Chainsaw Man's way of life. At first, fans were certain that Makima was the most important woman in Denji's life as his primary love interest, but then a certain charming girl came along. Denji couldn't take his eyes off the delightful waitress Reze, and he dared to hope he'd find true love at last. Surprise: Reze was a deadly devil hybrid from the Soviet Union, one packing explosive power.
Reze put other anime explosion experts to shame as she cemented her place as the arc's top fighter. Reze was the Bomb Devil, an aggressive and confident assassin who needed Denji dead no matter what. Her explosions were far too much for Denji to handle at first, and with the Typhoon Devil's aid, Reze pushed Denji's team of heroes to the limit. Only with some clever and daring tactics could Denji and Beam take down Reze, and even then, it was close.
International Assassins Arc: Darkness Devil
Primordial Fears Like Darkness Aren't So Easily Beaten
Starting in the International Assassins Arc in the Chainsaw Man manga, villains such as the Bat Devil, Katana Man, and even Reze herself felt quaint compared to Denji's newest foes. Human assassins like Quanxi impressed manga readers, but the ultimate fighter in the International Assassins Arc was definitely the Darkness Devil. Denji witnessed the horror of this creature in Hell itself, and the experience shattered Power's confidence forever.
Find all 10 pairs
Find all 10 pairs
The Darkness Devil dominated this arc as one of the first primordial devils ever seen in the story of Chainsaw Man. These elite devils embody the most ancient and universal fears of all, granting them durability and power beyond anything the other devils can muster. Thus, it was a matter of survival and escape rather than victory when Denji, Aki, and the rest came face to face with the Darkness Devil. Santa Claus was quite strong too in the International Assassins Arc, but the Darkness Devil is #1.
Gun Devil Arc: Makima
Makima Defeated a Force of Destruction
For two arcs in a row, Denji's love interest, Makima, reigned as Chainsaw Man's most formidable fighter. Over time, the story made it increasingly evident just how dangerous and sinister Makima was with her formidable powers. Fans hoped Makima wouldn't turn these powers of hers against Denji, Power, and Aki, but readers did get the creeping feeling things would go wrong eventually.
As of the Gun Devil Arc, Makima wasn't that dangerous to Denji, yet Chainsaw Man fans still had a bad feeling about her. It felt disturbing rather than thrilling to see Makima use her titanic power and control to deal with the Gun Devil, all while Aki fought Denji as a Gun Devil fiend. The Gun Devil was hyped as a force of nature capable of apocalyptic massacres, yet Makima handled it just fine.
Control Devil Arc: Makima
Denji's Love Interest Became an Endgame Boss Battle
Makima's fearsome power was finally brought to bear on Denji himself when the final arc of the first saga in Chainsaw Man arrived. By that point, Makima was hostile to anyone and anything who blocked her goal of obtaining the Chainsaw Devil, such as Power herself. Denji felt emptier and more lost than ever when Makima killed Power like that, and then it was time for the would-be lovers to finally fight.
Chainsaw Man: How Denji's Loneliness Came to an End
Denji has faced a string of unfortunate events, yet he stays hopeful. Nonetheless, when Yoru confesses, his loneliness comes to an end.
As expected, Makima was an enormous threat as the Control Devil, and it was a miracle Denji survived this all-out battle with his greatest challenge yet. Still, he narrowly triumphed, and it wasn't the first time a Chainsaw Man maiden allowed Denji to love her before they had to fight to the finish. Thus, the Control Devil Arc and the first saga ended on a painfully bittersweet note, throwing open the doors for Asa Mitaka to take over as Chainsaw Man's unexpected hero.
Falling Devil Arc: Falling Devil
This Primordial Fear Fancies Herself a Chef
A few story arcs in Chainsaw Man's second saga stand out thanks to their incredible battles against all-new foes as Asa and Yoru kept powering up as an odd team of antiheroes. One such foe was yet another primordial fear in the form of the Falling Devil, who proved to be much stronger than her seemingly simple concept suggested. Falling might call to mind simple pratfalls or skinning one's knee on the sidewalk, but the Falling Devil is the lord of much more than skinned knees.
The Falling Devil Arc centered around Asa's and Yoru's desperate war against a devil who could not be defeated so easily. The Falling Devil could shift the entire battlefield to make her opponents fall, true to her name, and she even toyed with everyone as a twisted chef. Curiously, the Falling Devil acts humble as a servant of the will of Hell and other devils, though she still might turn on other devils if need e.
Chainsaw Man Church Arc: Pochita
Makima Coveted This Power For a Reason
There is a good reason why Makima the Control Devil wanted Denji to herself. She loved not Denji as a person, but Chainsaw Man the Chainsaw Devil hybrid and his vast power. Pochita's power goes beyond merely shredding things with his chainsaws, because this devil can also erase other devils from existence, a power that Makima coveted.
What is more, as shonen leads, Denji and Pochita keep powering up, gaining formidable new abilities and forms as the manga continues. This may not mean Denji is always Chainsaw Man's strongest character, but it does mean when the story calls for it, Pochita is unbeatable. More specifically, the Chainsaw Man Church Arc featured Pochita's ultimate form as Denji easily wiped out other hybrids and shredded the buildings in the area. Such strength is immense, but it's not something Denji can reliably call upon, so he's still vulnerable in most story arcs.
Aging Devil Arc: Aging Devil
Everyone Fears the Long March of Time
The Aging Devil Arc is the most recent completed arc in all of Chainsaw Man, and the #1 fighter in the current arc has yet to be determined. So, Chainsaw Man readers can latch onto the grotesque Aging Devil as the last arc-defining powerhouse seen thus far. This is another primordial fear, with everyone in the world fearing the effects of old age. Death itself may be even more universal, but the Death Devil wasn't the main villain of this particular arc, so the #1 slot goes to the Aging Devil.
The Aging Devil cannot easily be destroyed and has never been killed as a mighty primordial fear. This devil is also fearsome on offense, having the strength to handily subdue Denji and other heroes with just a few physical attacks. What is more, the Aging Devil can halt time to easily avoid even the quickest enemy attacks, and it can rapidly age someone within seconds to render them powerless or kill them.
Chainsaw Man
- Release Date
- 2022 - 2022
- Network
- TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
Cast
-
Kikunosuke ToyaDenji -
Tomori KusunokiMakima (voice)
